Together Again
by Kirin the Vampiress
Summary: History likes to repeat itself in the Shan family with Annie. But Annie in the end will learn not only that, but dreams hold many answers...
1. Where it all started

"So your saying they can live for up to 700 YEARS?" Annie Shan stared at the worn face of Steve Leonard. Her brother Darren had been best friends with him before he died. Annie and Steve had become close friends ever since, and Steve's 'obsession' for vampires was slowly wearing off on her.

"Yep, they can go really fast, that's called fliting. Vampires are stronger then we are and have better sences, too."

"Wow...I want to be-"Annie caught herself.

"One of them?"Steve said quietly, finishing her sentence. Annie blushed. "It's ok, I admit, I do, too." Steve kept to himself the fact that he knew Annie's brother Darren had faked his death to be a vampire.

"Hey, I got to go...Mom wants me home by 4:00. Talk to you later and don't tell anyone what I said." Annie stood up off the bench where they were talking in the park.

"No prob. See ya'." Steve called as Annie skated away.

"Home, Mom! Mom?"

"In here!" Mrs.Shan yelled back from the kitchin. As she pulled a roast from the oven, she was discouraged to see that her daughter had her skates on in the house.

"Mmmm...that smells great! Guess-" Annie stoped catching the angry gaze on her mother's face. Sighing , she pulled out a chair and unstrapped her skates.

"Much better." Mrs.Shan smiled. "How's Steve doing?"

"Same as usual. Talked more about vampires.." Annie grinned, knowing that that was all Steve ever talked about and how it irritated her mom, like everyone else. Mrs.Shan rolled her eyes.


	2. Confrontation

Many years had gone by and Steve still facinated Annie with his, what she called 'amazing' stories of vampires. Annie had started college and talked to her friend by email since Steve went to a different college. It made no difference that Steve was a senior, and Annie a sophmore. They ignored their age gap and stayed friends.

Every other weekday night Annie worked at a small local resturant as awaitress. One girl came their often and Annie would have small converations with her. She looked like she was around Annie's age, so she one day asked the girl, who's name was Trista, to go have cofee at the coffee shop down the street that following Saturday at 6:00.

"Glad you could come." Annie beamed as Trista walked up to her booth and sat.

"Glad I could."

"So, where do you live?"

"Oh, I travel around and I actually am moving again end of next week...you?"

"Sophmore, so I board here. It's really to bad your leaving...Let's get some coffee.

After the two of them got a cup at the register, they sat down and continued their conversation. Trista picked up her cup and sipped, but Annie couldn't help but stare at Trista's fingertips which had small scars on each. " How'd you get those scars on your fingers?

"Oh, these? Odd birthmark, huh?

"Yea,"Annie laughed."My friend Steve said that scars like that mean you are a vampire !" She laughed again. Trista's face turned pale. "What is it?" Annie asked worridly.

Trista stood."Listen, I got to go;I forgot ther's something I have to do Thanks for the coffee. I-"

"It's ok. I won't tell." Trista searched Annie's eyes and found truth. Sitting down again she sighed and grinned.

"So, your the first smart human I know."

"Just tell me some details, please!"

Trista shook her head "I'm should just walk away...but.."

"Your leaving in a few days, let me go with you!" Annie begged.

Trista's eyes bulged at this 21 year old girl, who knew she was a vampire, and was now asking to be one, too.

"Sorry, I can't." Annie looked down."I just can't blood any human who knows what I am! Would you give up everything in your life only to live in shadows? Times are hard now and it's not a good time to have another assistant for me."

"Since I was 12 I wanted to," Annie mumbled,"Steve would fill my head with evrything he knew and I always had the small dream in the back of my hea."

"Listen, I'll sleep on it. Meet me on Monday, midnight , alley behind this adress," Trista spoke quickly, jotting down a street adress on a napkin. "I really do have to leave though. Bye, and thanks for the coffee. I'll think about it." Annie was in disbellief in what had just happened, but was relieved that noone was near enough to hear their conversation.


	3. Choices

Trista sighed, leaning againest a brick building. The moon's light beat down on the black cloak that hung off her sholders. She heard a slow pace coming towards her at the end of the alley. "Trista?" whispered the person coming nearer, who was obviously Annie.

"I'm here."

"So, I.."

"OK, you may become my assistant. You have family down south, right?"

"Yea, but why-"

"-We will have to fake your death." Trista mumbled.

"What?" Annie asked shocked.

"I figured this would happen...you have a choice; the life you have now and your family.. or to become a 1/2 vampire as my assistant. If you decide to become my assistant you will fake your death, leave your family, and come to Vampire Mountain with me. Your parents and family can't know."

Annie didn't know what to say, and she didn't know why, but she wanted to cry. Her secreat dream , oh Steve would of been so jealous, or her life, family. "Sorry, but I have to think about that."

"That's fine, but you have till Friday. If you do choose to come with me, be here Friday 10:30pm sharp."

And with that, Trista vanished, leaving Annie. "Flitting" Annie thought. "I could do that".


	4. Pain Inside

Through all her classes Annie payed no attention to her professors.

"Ms.Shan!" Annie broke her train of thought. "Ms. Shan! MAbe you can tell us what exactly the Law of Tagnents is?"

"Sorry." Annie replied quickly to her math professor.

"Hmm. This is trig., not 'Dreamland'." Small snickers from the other students filled the class room. "Pay attention. There is a big test next week."

"Next week..." Annie thought,"I need to choose."

"Mom? Hey, it's Annie."

"Hey, sweetie! How are your classes?"

"Excellant! So, what you call for?"

"I just wanted to call to tell you I'm doing good and miss you." Tears formed in Annie's eyes and she depertly tried to keep her voice from trembling.

"Oh, that's so sweet. Miss you to, hun. When are you going to be able to visit us?"

"I can drive down tomarrow; its a holiday."

"Great! Your father will love to see you, and so will I."

"Well, got to go. Love you, bye!"

"Bye."

Annie dropped the phone, and buried her head into her pillow. Chelsea, Annie's roomate, walked into the dorm. "Hey, girl! You won't believe the jerk downstairs! He-" Chelsea stopped short."Annie?" She walked over to her friend, dropping her books on her desk. "Are you ok?"

Streaks of mascara ran down Annie's face as she gazed at Chelsea. "I'm fine,"Annie mumbled.

"Your crying, come on, let it out." Chelsea pleaded, pushing her blond hair back and sitting down beside Annie.

"I'd like to be left alone if you don't mind." Annie sighed . Chelsea drew back.

"Annie!" Mr.Shan treded towards the side of his daughters car. Annie opened the door.

"Hey, Dad!" She cried flinging her arms around him."I've missed you! Where's mom?"

"Inside making bruch. Come, now."

That day Annie tried to be the best she could for her parents, showing them a side of her that they'd never seen.

As she was preparing to leave, chocking back tears, she gave them each a big hug and kiss. It was only on her drive back to campass Annie Shan wept, for that was the last time she'd ever talk to her parents.


	5. Dying

_Sorry it took so long for me to put this chapter up! I've just been so busy writing my new story. Hope you like this chapter, though! oh, and by the way, I might have spelled some words wrong...sorry! The spellcheck isn't working! -Kirin_

At 10:30 Friday night, the vampiress awaited her possibly new assistant. Just as Trista turned to leave Annie appeared.

"I'm ready," Annie said with a weak smile.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Trista asked.

"Yes." Annie replied with confidence.

"Come with me then." Trista led Annie to a small hotel at the end of the street and into a room. "Let me see your hands." Trista instructed.

Annie held her hands in front of her as Trista dug her nails into her own fingertips, then Annie's. Annie cringed at the pain, she knew what to expect. She could feel Trista's blood flow into her body, and her blood into Trista's when their bloody fingertips joined. Just when Annie thought she couldn't take it any more, Trista pulled away.

"Are you OK?" Trista gave a small laugh.

"Yea, fine. I'm just a little dizzy...but I don't feel any different."

"You'll notice some effects in a few hours." Trista grinned. "Now, though, we must plan your death."

Annie sat on the ground and untied her shoelace as Trista moved behind her and made a small insison on the back of her head. The idea was Annie was walking up the cement stairs, instead of the elevator, to the second level of the building to her dorm that night. And as she was almost to the top of the flight of stairs, she tripped dropping her books and falling back. Thus Annie's death.

As Annie and Trista prepared, Annie thought about her brother Darren who had fallen from his bedroom window and died. She thought of the pain she would cause her parents all because she wanted to be a vampire.

Annie was given a potion from Trista that made her heart beat slower and her lungs take in oxygen slower. She wouldn't be able to move either. Trista would, in the dead of night, take Annie from her coffin and they would go to Vampire Mountain where Annie would train and learn.

Trista left after Annie was ready and Annie just had to wait for somebody to discover her 'lifeless' body.

It was around 7AM when a college student Annie didn't know found her.

"HELP! HELP!" he cried.

The guy ran up the stairs when nobody appeared. Annie heard him banging on doors, continuing to scream for help. Her eyes stared blankly up at the students who came to see what 'help' was needed.

"Oh, my god!" One girl yelled.

"Someone call an ambulence!"

"Is she alive?"

"What should we _do_?"

Annie hated listening to the students around her. She saw Chelsea push through the crowd and start sobbing.

A team of police officers and an ambulence arrived at the dorm. They closed Annie's open eyes.

There was weeping all around Annie. She could hear the voices of her mother and father, something Annie couldn't handle inside.

"My baby!" Mrs. Shan moaned.

Annie didn't know where she was. She could only hear the world around her. Mr. Shan was crying, too, but at the same time was trying to comfort his wife.

"Shh...she's with Darren now..."


	6. First One is the Hardest

The potion Annie had drunk was slowly wearing off. She could close and open her eyes and move a little. From what she had heard around her, her funeral was in a day.

Being in a coffin wasn't very appealing as Annie waited for Trista to come. Since it was going to be a closed casket, nobody would notice her body missing. Trista had planned to put a heavy object in Annie's place.

The night before the funeral, Annie was relieved to climb out of her coffin.

"You, OK?" Trista asked.

"A little stiff," Annie answered cracking her back and knuckles.

"We'll have to stop and buy you some more appropriate clothing for our trip." Trista noted.

Looking down at herself, Annie saw a light blue, long sleeved dress that fell to her ankles. On her feet were small white sandals.

"While we're at it we should feed," Trista said.

"Feed?" Annie gave a puzzled look.

"Drink would be the better word."

Trista picked up a dead fox beside her. "This will make up for lost weight." She dropped the animal in Annie's coffin and put the top back on. "Let's go."

The two of them walked to an open window. Trista leapt to the ground, astonishing Annie by landing on her feet. Trista looked up at Annie from 2 stories below.

"Come on. Jump," she whispered.

Stepping on the ledge, without any thinking, Annie jumped and landed on her feet also. Annie gasped at her new abilities.

"Good," Trista commented and the vampiress and her new assistant fled into the night.

Even though it was dark, Annie found that she could see perfectly. Every little noise seemed amplified. Fleeing the city, Trista taught Annie basic things she should know about being a vampire, like how often she would need to drink. They passed through a neighboring city that, even though it was past midnight, still had some people wandering around.

A woman who was probably 40 happily walked through the city's only park, clutching a black purse to her chest. Long black hair was pulled into a ponytail and a short blue skirt and a black shirt covered her body. Trista instructed Annie to wait behind some bushes and to watch her actions.

The vampiress slowly crept up from behind, and made a sudden attack. Breathing quickly into her own cupped hand, and placing it over the woman's nose, Trista caught the woman as she fell back, unaware that she was going to be fed on and completely unconscious.

Trista pulled the woman behind the bush's to Annie.

"Watch now," She whispered. Trista ran her index finger over the woman's wrist. Blood came up and was caught in Trista's mouth. After taking a long drink, she held the bleeding wrist up to Annie.

"First one is the hardest, but you can do it. Go ahead."

Annie held the unconscious woman's hand to her mouth. Closing her eyes, she cupped her mouth around the cut. The warm, salty liquid poured down her throat. She pulled away and coughed after a few seconds.

"This is the key to keeping your strength and living." Trista pointed out. "Try and drink a little bit more."

Annie did as she was told and sucked on the cut once again. She pulled the woman's wrist away when she was done. Trista spat on one of her fingers and rubbed the spit into the cut. Annie stared in awe as it slowly began to close.

"Can I do that, too?" She asked.

"Only when you become a full vampire. We should leave…she'll probably wake up in a little bit." Trista got up and pulled the woman back onto the path on which she had started. "She'll wake up and not remember a thing. Here, get on my back."

Annie almost laughed. "On your back!"

"Yes, we need to travel at a faster pace to make it in time for council. Since you can't flit yet, I'll need to carry you."

"OK," Annie answered," But when do we need to be at Vampire Mountain?"

"In a month, but we still need to keep up a good pace. It's hard, long journey."

With that said, Annie jumped on Trista's back. First with a long jog, then to a fast paced run, and finally at flitting speed, Trista and Annie left behind the unconscious victim.

------------------ -------------------

I am REALLY, RREEAALLYY sorry to all the people who like this story that it took so long to update this story. I've been working hard on my other stories ((I'm starting to write a Gavner story that I hope to get up soon)) and have been studying a lot for tests so I can go to the 9th grade! Yesterday I took my geometry final…I hope I did OK! .; If you want, you all can smack me upside the head for taking so long… :prepares to be smacked: …don't be too harsh…LOL

I've gotten a few reviews to add more detail: I actually wrote this story awhile ago ((I've finished it and just need to type it up but I'm sooo busy)) and I didn't add much detail back then…I hope I do now. But as I type up future chapters I'll try to add more!

But thanks for reading and reviewing, I enjoy reading reviews, and I'm sorry once again that it took so long! Much love, and emotion, 3 , Kirin .


	7. The Prince

Annie was taught and trained by Trista over the next few weeks it took to reach their destination, Vampire Mountain.

"Now there are 5 Princes," Trista explained as they sat in an ice-covered cave. "They are at the highest point of authority. There is Mika Ver Leth, Paris Skyle, Arrow, Vancha March, and our youngest and newest Prince, Darren Shan….that's funny….you two have the same last names…," Trista mused, "But remember those names: Mika, Paris, Arrow, Vancha, and Darren."

'Darren,' Annie thought, ' It must be just a coincidence…right? Darren is dead, he's been dead for years. It's impossible…but…' Annie sighed. It was weird, but she could just imagine her brother sitting on a throne in front of hundreds of vampires.

"I'm going to sleep, the sun's coming up. If you want to walk around a bit, go ahead." Trista yawned. "Just be careful, there are a few bears around here."

Annie got up and started to leave the cave.

"Trista?" She turned around. "DO you know what he looks like…Darren Shan?"

"Sorry, I haven't seen him yet. Like most vampires, I have not been to Vampire Mountain in 12 years. That's when council is. Anything else?"

"No…I was just wondering…"

Annie stepped outside into the cold, but bearable weather. She tread through the partially snow covered ground to a half frozen river and sat on a rock. Gazing in the river, Annie saw a small tear run down her face. The sun was now high in the sky, nut clouds quickly covered it. The thought of her brother pained Annie too much for her to handle.

A small white rabbit slowly hopped to the side of the river. 'I hate to do this…' Annie thought. Before the little creature could react, Annie grabbed the rabbit's neck and twisted. With a small cry it lay limp in her hands. She ripped a handful of fur off its body, revealing pink skin. Annie ran a sharp nail over it's skin, trying to find a vein. Finding one, she pierced it, and drank.

'Was this all worth it?' She thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Oh wow….look at how time flies…!!

I haven't been on here for 3 years….!

I'm so sorry to any fans of my stories (( coughcough NONE xD )) but life's been a little hectic. Depression, family issues, running away, falling in love, living a double life…having it discovered……ahahahaha…..all that teenage angst lol.

So I guess I'm just posting up to see if anyone wants me to finish??

Let me know!!

& I'll make an effort to try if there are some willing people to read my old stuff that completely sucks xD

The story has been completely finished for years, I've just forgotten about this & have other priorities I suppose.

Much thanks & love 333

Xxx Kirin


End file.
